- Summits
- Glacier Express
Zermatt – Oberalp Pass 2,033 m – St. MoritzGlacier Express
Eight hours, 291 kilometres, 291 bridges and 91 tunnels – at cycling pace across Valais, Uri and Graubünden. Here is what the journey costs in 2026, when the train runs and when one section is enough.
CHF 159 ticket + CHF 54 seat reservation
with Half Fare Card CHF 133.50 · with Swiss Travel Pass only CHF 54
- Zermatt 1,604 m
- Brig 670 m
- Oberalp Pass 2,033 m
- Chur 585 m
- St. Moritz 1,775 m
- Journey time
- approx. 8 hrs
- From Zermatt, summer
- 08:52 · 09:52
- From St. Moritz, summer
- 08:38 · 09:38
- Reservation
- compulsory
Fares and timetable checked on 2 October 2026 · summer timetable until 10 October 2026, no service until 4 December 2026 · Source: Glacier Express AG · Photo: Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 3.0
Three pieces of advice before you ride the Glacier Express
Reserve on the day the booking window opens.
Seats in 1st and 2nd class go on sale 93 days before travel; for journeys from December, bookings open in mid-October. According to the operator, reservations booked online can be neither changed nor cancelled – so only commit once your travel day is fixed.
Don't fight over the right side.
The train changes direction along the way, so the operator cannot guarantee a side. If you are two or four, book facing seats – then someone is always travelling forwards.
Take photos at the door.
The big panoramic windows reflect. The windows in all the entrance doors can be lowered, so you can take pictures without reflections.
42 km/h on average.The pace is the point: the Glacier Express takes around eight hours for 291 kilometres.
Which class on the Glacier Express?
The journey starts downhill. About ten minutes after leaving, you see the Bis Glacier above Randa on the left in the direction of travel; at Kalpetran the railway and the Vispa river squeeze through the Kipfen gorge together. You sit for around 75 minutes as far as Brig – long enough to know whether the class suits you.
If you arrive in Zermatt the day before, take the cog railway up the Gornergrat in the afternoon – on the morning you leave, the Glacier Express departs at 08:52 or 09:52.
2nd class: the same windows, four seats at a table
You sit four to a table, two facing two. The panoramic windows are the same as in 1st class. Every seat has a power socket, there is Wi-Fi – reception varies in the Alps – and an audio guide with headphones for the commentary along the route. Meals are cooked fresh in the on-board kitchen and served at your seat.
- Ticket, whole route
- 159 CHF
- Reservation
- 54 CHF
- 3-course menu
- 49 CHF
Honestly: With a menu and the reservation, a day in 2nd class costs CHF 262 per person, for a single journey. 2nd class is no compromise here – the view is the same.
1st class: more space, compartments for two and four
The operator describes 1st class as having more space in compartments for two and four, more comfort and more privacy. As a couple you sit at a table without strangers. The reservation costs the same as in 2nd class; only the ticket is dearer. If you have a pass, it must be a 1st class one.
- Ticket, whole route
- 272 CHF
- Reservation
- 54 CHF
- Total
- 326 CHF
Honestly: The CHF 113 extra buys you space and quiet, not a better view. For a long day as a couple it can still feel right.
Excellence Class: 20 seats, five-course menu
A carriage of its own for no more than twenty guests, each with a guaranteed window seat, two seats to a table. Included: champagne and an appetiser platter, a seasonal five-course menu with wine pairing, drinks, the bar on the train, a concierge, your own tablet and luggage service. It runs only on train 902 from Zermatt (08:52 – 16:37) and train 903 from St. Moritz (08:38 – 17:07), and only over the whole route.
- 1st class ticket
- 272 CHF
- Supplement
- 540 CHF
- Total
- 812 CHF
Excellence Class can be booked for the whole timetable period, not just 93 days ahead. All services and classes compared are on Glacier Express prices.
Glacier Express tickets 2026: fare plus reservation
The Glacier Express has no all-in price. You need an ordinary ticket for your route plus the compulsory seat reservation. Passes and the Half Fare Card only reduce the ticket – everyone pays the CHF 54, children included. Prices are in Swiss francs, not euros.
| How you travel | Ticket | Reservation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd class, full fare | CHF 159 | CHF 54 | CHF 213 |
| 2nd class with Swiss Half Fare Card (Halbtax) | CHF 79.50 | CHF 54 | CHF 133.50 |
| With Swiss Travel Pass, GA, Interrail or Eurail | in the pass | CHF 54 | CHF 54 |
| Child 6–16, 2nd class (under 6 free, free with Junior Card) | CHF 79.50 | CHF 54 | CHF 133.50 |
| 1st class, full fare | CHF 272 | CHF 54 | CHF 326 |
| 1st class with Half Fare Card | CHF 136 | CHF 54 | CHF 190 |
| Excellence Class (1st class ticket, menu included) | CHF 272 | CHF 540 | CHF 812 |
Tickets are on sale up to six months (180 days) before travel, the reservation only 93 days ahead. The reservation costs CHF 54 for a short section just as for the whole route – on Andermatt – Brig the seat costs more than the ticket (CHF 37). All sections and family examples are on Glacier Express prices.
Glacier Express timetable, summer 2026
| Train | Route | Dep. | Arr. |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE 900 | Zermatt – Chur | 07:52 | 13:25 |
| PE 902 (with Excellence Class) | Zermatt – St. Moritz | 08:52 | 16:37 |
| PE 904 | Zermatt – St. Moritz | 09:52 | 17:37 |
| PE 906 | Brig – St. Moritz | 14:14 | 20:55 |
| PE 901 | St. Moritz – Brig | 07:05 | 13:40 |
| PE 903 (with Excellence Class) | St. Moritz – Zermatt | 08:38 | 17:07 |
| PE 905 | St. Moritz – Zermatt | 09:38 | 18:07 |
| PE 907 | Chur – Zermatt | 14:32 | 20:07 |
From 11 October to 4 December 2026 the Glacier Express does not run. The winter timetable applies from 5 December 2026 to 7 May 2027 with two trains in each direction; from St. Moritz they leave at 08:38 (arriving Zermatt 17:04) and 09:38 (arriving 18:04). All stops with altitudes and times are on Glacier Express route.
The Glacier Express through the Goms and over the Oberalp Pass
Beyond Brig the line climbs through the Goms valley with its sun-darkened wooden houses. Beneath the Furka Pass the train runs through the Furka Base Tunnel, at 15.4 kilometres the longest tunnel of the journey. Only since it opened on 26 June 1982 has the Glacier Express run all year round. Five kilometres before Andermatt lies Zumdorf, according to the operator the smallest village in Switzerland.
From Andermatt (1,435 m) the train climbs to the Oberalp Pass, almost 600 metres higher. Over 31.9 kilometres of the route in total, a cogwheel helps it along. All four sections are described on Glacier Express route.
- 291 kmZermatt – St. Moritz
- 291bridges
- 91tunnels
- 15.4 kmFurka Base Tunnel
- 31.9 kmcogwheel sections
A lighthouse in the mountains.It stands on the pass and marks the source of the Rhine at Lake Toma, a little higher up.
Oberalp Pass: the highest point of the Glacier Express
In winter the lake lies under metres of snow, in summer cows graze along the shore. The train does not stop here. From here it is 1,448 metres down to Chur.
Is the Glacier Express worth it?
The scenery is. The question is whether you want to watch it through a window for eight hours – for CHF 213 or more.
Ride the whole route if …
- the train ride is your plan for the day. Zermatt 08:52, St. Moritz 16:37 – in between you sit, eat and look.
- you are travelling from Zermatt to the Engadine anyway. Then the Glacier Express is the journey itself, with no changes.
- you have a Swiss Travel Pass. Then you only pay the CHF 54 reservation.
Skip it if …
- you want to get off along the way. The reservation is for one train. For a single section, ordinary regional trains run without a supplement.
- you travel with a dog, bike or skis. Animals (except assistance dogs), bikes, ski bags and golf bags are not allowed.
- you don't want to commit three months ahead. Reservations booked online cannot be changed or cancelled.
- eight hours of sitting is too long for you. Ride just the Oberalp, the Rhine Gorge or the Albula – the ticket gets cheaper, the reservation stays at CHF 54.
A rockslide around 10,000 years ago.The Rhine has cut its way through the debris ever since – the operator calls the gorge the “Swiss Grand Canyon”.
From the Oberalp Pass through the Rhine Gorge to Chur
Heading down the valley you pass Disentis with its Benedictine monastery, more than 1,400 years old. Between Ilanz and Reichenau the train runs through the Rhine Gorge – white cliffs, a turquoise river. Chur, the oldest town in Switzerland, is the lowest point of the journey.
- Disentis
- 1,130 m
- Rhine Gorge
- 630 m
- Chur
- 585 m
- Steepest gradient
- 12.5 %
Honestly: Ordinary Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn trains also cross the Oberalp Pass, and Rhaetian Railway trains run through the Rhine Gorge. On those you pay no CHF 54 reservation, but you don't sit in a panoramic car. If you only want to see one section, check the SBB timetable first.
The last stretch: Landwasser Viaduct and the Albula line
From Thusis the Glacier Express runs on the Albula line, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. First comes the Solis Viaduct, 85 metres high with eleven limestone arches, then near Filisur the Landwasser Viaduct, 65 metres high, which curves straight into the rock face. Between Bergün and Preda the line spirals up through helical and hairpin tunnels, then the Engadine opens up.
- Tiefencastel
- 884 m
- Landwasser Viaduct
- 1,032 m
- St. Moritz
- 1,775 m
The Bernina Express also runs this stretch before turning south over the Bernina Pass into Italy. Which of the two trains suits your trip – or how to combine them – is in the comparison Bernina Express vs Glacier Express.
Booking Glacier Express tickets and reservations
The Glacier Express AG fares are above; the operator sells them in its own web shop in Swiss francs. The Swiss ticket agent Swiss Activities sells the same products as mobile tickets, charged in your own currency.
Glacier Express 1st or 2nd class seat reservation from Zermatt or St. Moritz
Glacier Express Ticket from St. Moritz or Zermatt (without reservation)
Glacier Express Excellence Class seat reservation from Zermatt or St. Moritz
Honestly: From the operator the reservation costs CHF 54, the ticket CHF 159 or CHF 272 and the Excellence supplement CHF 540 – convert at the day's rate before you book; a small mark-up remains. Two traps: the reservation does not replace a ticket – without one you won't get on the train. And there are no cancellations. If you have a Half Fare Card, GA or Swiss Travel Pass, buy the ticket from the operator or SBB, where your card counts.
Glacier Express: quick answers
How long is the Glacier Express?
The whole route from Zermatt to St. Moritz takes around eight hours, according to the operator. Train 902 leaves Zermatt at 08:52 and reaches St. Moritz at 16:37; in the other direction train 903 runs from 08:38 to 17:07. For 291 kilometres that is an average of 42 km/h.
How much are Glacier Express tickets?
Zermatt – St. Moritz costs CHF 159 for the 2nd class ticket in 2026, plus CHF 54 for the seat reservation – CHF 213 in total. 1st class comes to CHF 326, Excellence Class to CHF 812. With a Swiss Travel Pass, GA, Interrail or Eurail you only pay the CHF 54 reservation.
How much is a meal on the Glacier Express?
According to the 2026 menu, the main course costs CHF 36, the 2-course menu CHF 42, the 3-course menu CHF 49 and the 4-course menu CHF 54. Food is cooked in the on-board kitchen and served at your seat. The operator recommends ordering up to 48 hours before departure.
When is the best time for the Glacier Express?
In the summer timetable (2 May to 10 October 2026) two through trains and two part-route trains run in each direction; in winter (from 5 December 2026) two trains in each direction. In winter the Oberalp Pass lies under metres of snow, says the operator; in summer it is green. From 11 October to 4 December 2026 the train does not run at all.
What is the difference between 1st and 2nd class?
Both classes have the same panoramic windows. In 2nd class you sit four to a table; 1st class has more space with compartments for two and four. The reservation costs CHF 54 in both; the 1st class ticket is CHF 272 instead of CHF 159.
Do you need a reservation for the Glacier Express?
Yes, the seat reservation is compulsory for every passenger and costs CHF 54, even with a pass. It goes on sale 93 days before travel, tickets 180 days before. Reservations booked online can be neither changed nor cancelled.
Which side should you sit on the Glacier Express?
No side can be guaranteed, because the train changes direction along the way. If you are several, book facing seats. The only documented tip: about ten minutes after Zermatt you see the Bis Glacier on the left in the direction of travel.
Is the Glacier Express worth it?
Yes, if the ride itself is your day and you are travelling between Zermatt and the Engadine anyway – with a Swiss Travel Pass it costs only CHF 54. No, if you want to get off along the way, bring a dog or stay flexible. Then ride single sections on regional trains without a supplement.
Where the figures come from
| Item | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket prices CHF 159 / 272, reservation CHF 54 / 540, booking windows 180 / 93 days, children, Half Fare Card, luggage, no bikes or skis | Glacier Express, prices | 2 October 2026 |
| Summer timetable 2026 with all trains, no service 11 October – 4 December 2026, winter timetable from 5 December 2026, December reservations from mid-October, no dogs | Glacier Express, timetable 2026 | 2 October 2026 |
| Compulsory reservation, no guaranteed side, reservations cannot be changed or cancelled, around eight hours, 1st and 2nd class, ordering meals, assistance dogs | Glacier Express, FAQ | 2 October 2026 |
| 2nd class equipment, lowerable windows in the entrance doors | Glacier Express, classes | 2 October 2026 |
| Excellence Class: 20 guests, services, trains 902/903 and times | Glacier Express, Excellence Class | 2 October 2026 |
| Bis Glacier, Kipfen gorge, Furka Base Tunnel 1982, Zumdorf, Oberalp Pass 2,033 m with lighthouse, Disentis monastery, Rhine Gorge, Solis Viaduct, Landwasser Viaduct | Glacier Express, route | 2 October 2026 |
| 291 km, 291 bridges, 91 tunnels, 42 km/h, gradient 12.5 %, first run 1930, owners | Glacier Express, about us | 2 October 2026 |
| Menu prices 2026 | Glacier Express, menu 2026 (PDF) | 2 October 2026 |
| Altitudes of all places in the profile, Furka tunnel 15.4 km, 31.9 km cogwheel sections | Glacier Express AG, sales manual 2025 (PDF) | 21 September 2026 |
| Reservation, ticket and Excellence Class as mobile tickets: prices, reviews, ticket or reservation not included, no cancellations | Swiss Activities, Glacier Express | 2 October 2026 |
Image credits
- Title image, Glacier Express near Hospental: Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Panoramic car in Brig: Whgler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Glacier Express at Lake Oberalp: Kecko, CC BY 2.0
- Rhine Gorge: JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oberalp Pass in winter: Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Landwasser Viaduct: Kabelleger / David Gubler, CC BY-SA 4.0
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